take your answer off the air...

Talker's MagazineThe quirky talk radio trade mag. Check the Talk Radio Research Project- it's not very scientific, but places on the top 15 talkers list (scroll down to Talk Radio Audiences By Size)) are as hotly contested as Emmys (and mean just about as much).

The AdvocateNo, not THAT Advocate... it's the Northwest Progressive Institute's Official Blog.

Media MattersDocumentation of right-wing media in video, audio and text.

Orcinushome of David Neiwert, freelance investigative journalist and author who writes extensively about far-right hate groups

Hominid Views"People, politics, science, and whatnot"
Darryl is a statistician who fights imperialism with empiricism, gives good links and wry commentary.

Jesus' General An 11 on the Manly Scale of Absolute Gender, a 12 on the Heavenly Scale of the 10 Commandments and a 6 on the earthly scale of the Immaculately Groomed.

Irrational Public Radio "informs, challenges, soothes and/or berates, and does so with a pleasing vocal cadence and unmatched enunciation. When you listen to IPR, integrity washes over you like lava, with the pleasing familiarity of a medium-roast coffee and a sensible muffin."

The Moderate VoiceThe voice of reason in the age of Obama, and the politics of the far-middle.

News Hounds Dogged dogging of Fox News by a team who seems to watch every minute of the cable channel so you don't have to.

HistoryLinkFun to read and free encyclopedia of Washington State history. Founded by the late Walt Crowley, it's an indispensable tool and entertainment source for history wonks and surfers alike.

right-wing blogs we like

The Reagan WingHearin lies the real heart of Washington State Republicans. Doug Parris runs this red-meat social conservative group site which bars no holds when it comes to saying who they are and who they're not; what they believe and what they don't; who their friends are and where the rest of the Republicans can go. Well-written, and flaming.

December 04, 2012

Senate GOP kills disabilities act

Grinch lives.

"Former Senate Majority Leader Bob Dole (R-Kan.) made a rare Senate appearance
this morning, sitting in a wheelchair just off the floor so that
members would have to see him as they entered the chamber. Why? Because
they were poised to vote on ratification of the U.N. Convention on the
Rights of People with Disabilities, and Dole hoped to send a message.

It didn't work. The Senate killed the treaty
this afternoon, with a final vote of 61 to 38, which seems like a
lopsided majority, but which fell short of the two-thirds necessary for
ratification. Eight Republicans broke ranks and joined Democrats in
support of the treaty, but the clear majority of the Senate GOP voted to
block it.

But most Senate Republicans saw it as a threat to American "sovereignty," even though the treaty wouldn't
have required the United States to change its laws. When the Senate
Foreign Relations Committee approved the treaty with bipartisan support
in July, Chairman John Kerry (D-Mass.) explained the proposal simply
"raises the [international] standard to our level without requiring us
to go further."

In other words, we wouldn't actually have to do
anything except say we like the treaty -- and then wait for other
signatories around the world to catch up to the United States' Americans
with Disabilities Act.

The treaty was endorsed by Dole, John
McCain, and Dick Lugar, among other prominent Republican figures, but it
didn't matter. The GOP's right-wing base, led in part by Rick Santorum,
raised hysterical fears about the treaty, and most Senate Republicans
took their cues from the party's activists, not the party's elder
statesmen."

So, if you are a disabled person in a country where you still cant access certain places in your wheelchair, 38 Republican United States Senators want to wish you a very Merry Christmas.

Comments

You're right Gent, doing the thing that is best for the country isnt nearly as important as pandering to various groups. Oh, except for pandering to white men, who libs hate. They just trash white men, no need to pander to the group of people who are responsible for more brilliant contributions in the arts and sciences than all other peoples combined.

Good job is destroying this UN treaty. These men need to be applauded for their insight in how bad this treaty meant to the USA. Only people like Sparky who thinks we conservatives blame ACORN would think this treaty was good. Go ahead and say McCain was for it, but since you didn't vote for him in 2008 what changed your mind in 2012 . Oh and Rachelle, if this treaty didn't require the USA to do anything, why should those in wheel chairs need to blame these 38 hero's. Shouldn't they blame Obama for not ensuring our laws are followed.

Oh and Rachelle, if this treaty didn't require the USA to do anything, why should those in wheel chairs need to blame these 38 hero's.

Upon ratification if they, the handicapped, want to travel to the countries which signed the treaty they would be protected by the same laws we enjoy here at home. But I think I have lost you with this point due to logic, so maybe I’ll think up a stupider way to express this idea. Or maybe not.

I was watching part of Maddow earlier tonight, and she as a lead in to covering this story, some footage of Disabled activists doing a protest at the convention of the American Public Transportation Association in San Francisco in 1987. Chaining their wheelchairs to buses, which at the time, did not have to have even a wheelchair lift. It was not the law, and doing it was strictly voluntary. One bus operator that pioneered a wheelchair lift, as early as the 1980s, was the Municipality of Metropolitan Seattle(just want to get the incarnation of it at the time right), and it's bus system, Metro. I was reading about a purchase Metro made of 40ft buses, about a 100 of them, in 1987, only 4-5 other operators in the US bought that type, but only 1 asked for a wheelchair lift, and that was Metro. Today, at the APTA conference, the suppliers of the Public Transportation industry show off their latest products, and in the convention hall, the latest low-floor buses on display. The ADA mandate for public transit operators took effect in 1997, and despite Metro(then and now,King County Metro)'s head start, they were a little late on compliance. The last of their non-lift equipped buses were just reaching their retirement dates.(They get 12-20 years out of them).

The ADA seemed to create a whole industry to cater to it. My late father was in a wheelchair in his later years, and I was amazed with what the Hoveround could do, and the various lift-equipped vans he tried out. Although the only place in another country he went after being in his wheelchair, was Victoria, and I am not sure, the Canadians might be doing it better than we do.

North of us, in Vancouver B.C, from 2005-2008, the Mayor was in a wheelchair as result of a skiing accident early in life, got over a bout with depression and substance abuse, to represent his city when they picked up the Olympic banner from Torino at the 2006 Winter Olympic closing ceremonies. I remember hearing a story when he left office, that something he liked to do was on foreign trips, visit the local city hall. They said, many mayors would have to come outside to meet with him because they had no access for disabled people in their buildings.

http://www.samsullivan.ca/bio

(He's making a move to get back into politics after being denied renomination for a second term in 2008 by the Non Partisan Association, his party. He is mounting a bid for a Liberal(which in BC is a Center-Right party) nomination in a Vancouver-area Legislative district, for Next May's Provincial Election)

This country already passed an ADA act back when HW Bush was President - remember ? Do you people have amnesia ?

Why in the hell should we pass a Rouge Nation controlled UN Disabilities act when we already have one in effect and it is working well in the eyes of big government ? (Maybe they do it better in Canada though, but certainly not because of the UN)

Show us what is contained in this act that wasn't in the original ADA act, so there can be an intelligent discussion. Until then, sorry this does not pass the smell test.

KS your smeller is blocked. We were merely supposed to ratify this --IT HAS ALREADY BEEN PASSED! It was a move by the UN to tell the rest of the world that the USA has their act together when it comes to providing access for all--ramps for wheelchairs, directions written in braille for the blind at your local ATM machine, payslots on gas pumps for those in wheelchairs--and that OTHER COUNTRIES SHOULD DO THE SAME. You know, like when one of our wounded soldiers travels somewhere else. You guys are so Fox brainwashed to be HELL BENT on finding evil under every rock, you just look ignorant. You should find out about something before you start ranting. You would look more intelligent.

On another thread KS posts THIS:
"Constantly demonizing anyone and constant fear-mongering is boring boring and is like trying to catch flies with vinegar... Shit happens and then its time to move ahead. "

KS, don’t worry about the rest of the nay sayers here. I think your right; we’ve already passed the ADA. The UN should concentrate on countries like China and Saudi Arabia. I think they should work on a treaty which will duplicate the ADA and have all nations ratify so it will be the law in many other countries.

Is that the new progressive defense for everything these days. "Wounded Warrior" what a laugh. It's bad enough these brave men and woman became disabled, but to be used as fodder for an agenda that would make the US bow to foreign pressure, absurd and 99 percent of those same veterans would agree.

I’m a vet and I don’t agree. If the United States can extend the ADA laws throughout the world utilizing the UN, it’s a good thing. As a matter of fact, KS and his ilk are arguing from the point of the opposition. For example; the Chinese who see the AMERICAN Disabilities Act laws as foreign interference in their public policy. We are the agent spreading the policy (AMERICAN Disabilities Act) through the UN, not vice versa.

On November 8th, Jim Walker (a.k.a. "The Orb") passed away peacefully in his sleep. Jim had many passions in life, he was deeply committed to his family, his faith, friends, music and politics just to name a few. He was a good and honorable man, and he will be deeply missed.

For those of you just finding out about Jim's passing, we're very sorry to have to break the news to you in this way. Jim had so many friends, acquaintances, and followers that we were simply unable to contact everyone directly.

Orbusmax.com will return as the news portal so many of you have come to rely on. We think Jim would have wanted it that way.

We'll try and be back up and running around mid-December.

Sincerely,

The family and friends of Jim Walker

I still have some very angry email exchanges between me and Jim. Despite all political differences, my condolences to his family and his memory.

Rachelle - you missed the big picture !! Walt, Bobby Hill, T-S and BR. You obtuseness is unbelievable. Are you really serious with your comments or is that just your hatred for an opposing viewpoint coming out ? Your ignorance sticks out like a sore thumb, but will give it the benefit of a doubt. Mr. Dole was a decent public servant, but he is naive here and the Senate (including 15 Dems) made the correct call.

The UN can draft a law similar to the US without having the Senate vote on it. Sovereignty is a BF Deal to many ! Why did the UN ask them to vote ? Have them vote on Canada's treaty then ask Canada to vote and see how that turns out. That is simply a political ploy to try to put themselves in position for eventual jurisdiction over the US to make it look legitimate. The Senate killed a UN Treaty yesterday that attempted to control the internet 98-0 - Thank you, US Senate. There is also a Treaty of the Seas which even more oppressive. BTW, Treaties are forever !! This issue does not merit any further argument. Consider being more open-minded and tolerant of opposing views and show some curiosity - you may learn something new. You might even surprise the hell out of some others...

all treaties need close scrutiny. that is why they are voted on in the congressional houses. voting up on one dosen't make a yes on another. face the fact, the republicans screwed up. by the way, treaties don't relinquish sovereignty. except in black helicopter land.

Yes, TS. Treaties are forever. Ask the Indians - for one they can use gill nets for catching salmon locally where no one else are able to, thanks to a treaty. Don't rewrite history, but have the guts to display the whole story.

Talk about being naive and chasing your tail.

Kyoto Treaty - we never signed onto. Oh - I get it,this is different because Bush did it.

KS, Most of us understand treaties and their existence are more nuanced than your absolutist understanding. When your argument is disproved you assert the whole story should be told. You’re literally contorting your argument to negate your own point.

Your paranoia runs deep. Sometimes I wonder how you ever made it through college or high school, T-S.

You would screw up the story, so do us a favor and keep it to yourself. For those who are curious, here's a big hint T-S, le Rube - Indian Treaties had varying results depending on the circumstances. UN Treaties and Indian treaties are like comparing apples and oranges, but in general and I repeat - Treaties are designed to be forever.

Preston and you should lose your right to vote just from the misinformation you spew - LMAO !!

PORTLAND — The biggest revamping of lower Columbia River sport and commercial fishing regulations in 80 years began Friday, when the Oregon Fish and Wildlife Commission approved the shifting of gillnets into off-channel areas.

Washington's commission will hear public comment on Dec. 15 in Olympia on the plan to make sport fishing the priority in the main river and move gillnets into spots like Youngs Bay and Blind Slough near Astoria.

Washington is scheduled to make its decision Jan. 11-12, also in Olympia.

"Our fishery has been designated for execution,'' Robert Sudar of Longview, a fish buyer, told the Oregon commission.

But Trey Carskadon, a member of the Northwest Sport Fishing Industry Association, called it "a better future for the Columbia River.''

The fisheries overhaul — the most sweeping since fish wheels were outlawed in the mid-1930s — was jump-started when sport-fishing and conservation interests got Measure 81 on the November ballot in Oregon. The measure would have outlawed gillnets and tangle nets in Oregon waters — and much of the lower Columbia is on the Oregon side of the boundary.

In August, Oregon Gov. John Kitzhaber advanced a compromise proposal to continue use of gillnets, but only in the off-channel areas, plus prioritizing sport fishing.

Except that it is a gawdawful treaty. So, you are saying that doing good in the world by you is for money-grubbing rogue nations that export terrorists to extort money from the USA - you and Barrack-a-mole - another distraction thwarted...

BTW, Treaties by the UN will be forever. Stop and think (for a change) - do you think the UN would let the US void their treaty ?

I amend my original statement to say that for the UN, Treaties by the UN involving the USA are forever. I do not recall any exceptions since the UN has been in existence - can you ?

KS, this treaty does not make the uS do anything. It is telling the rest of the world to follow our lead. That's it. Period. Fini. Why does the right insist that this is some malevolent evil secret pact of some kind. What is evil about suggesting to other countries that they create ramps for handicapped people. Honestly, your paranoia is just silly.

KVI am 570 KHz Visit the burnt-out husk of one of the seminal right-wing talkers in all the land. Here's where once trilled the reactionary tones of Rush Limbaugh, John Carlson, Kirby Wilbur, Mike Siegel, Peter Weissbach, Floyd Brown, Dinky Donkey, and Bryan Suits.
Now it's Top 40 hits from the '60's & '70's aimed at that diminishing crowd who still remembers them and can still hear.

KTTH am 770 KHzRight wing home of local, and a whole bunch of syndicated righties such as Glennn Beck, Rush Limbaugh, Michael Medved, Sean Hannity, Laura Ingraham, Lars Larsony, and for an hour a day: live & local David Boze.